Auburn set to host final official visitors, including a five-star linebacker

In five days, Auburn will be with or without a handful of the key targets it has pursued in the weeks leading up to signing day, and a few of those prospects will be on campus this weekend.

Five-star inside linebacker Ben Davis headlines this weekend’s list of official visitors. Davis, rated No. 1 at his position, recently told SEC Country the Tigers could vault to No. 1 among his top schools following his visit to The Plains. For now, however, both Alabama and Georgia are ahead.

“I’m going to look at it from an academic standpoint,” Davis said of the visit. “I’m big on my grades. I’ve seen the athletic side of it. Secondly, I want to see how the players relate to the coaches. They have a brand new coaching staff since I last went down for the Iron Bowl. I want to see that and how I relate to the coaches, too.”

Joining him will be three-star safety Daniel Thomas and four-star defensive end Prince Sammons, whom the Tigers are recruiting along the offensive line.

Thomas has not yet reported an offer from Auburn but is fully expecting one following his visit this weekend. The Montgomery, Ala., native opted to visit Auburn instead of Clemson after the Tigers secured a commitment from another safety on Jan. 21. He listed Auburn among his finalists.

Sammons, on the other hand, does have an offer. The Tigers have recruited him aggressively in recent weeks. Coach Gus Malzahn and offensive line coach Herb Hand made an in-home visit with the Ohio standout on Tuesday.

Auburn is hoping to capitalize on its growing relationship with Sammons ahead of signing day, as the program is in need of finding viable replacements along the offensive line following the departures of two starting offensive tackles. Extending to Thomas appears to also be a priority, as the Tigers have only secured one verbal safety commitment in three-star Marlon Character.

This upcoming weekend will also be an important one as Auburn tries to retain a commitment from three-star defensive end David Marshall, who is expected to visit Georgia for the second consecutive week. Marshall is on the fence with his commitment to the Tigers, and back-to-back trips do not bode well for Malzahn and staff.